Burglar-proof mail and express car.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

" c. ZIMMERMAN.

BURGLABYPSROOF MAIL AND EXPRESS GAR.

AP PLIOKTIOH P ILED APE. 31903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

INVENTOR W VIITNESSES: 4% an PATENTED JULYZB, 1903.

G. ZIMMERMAN. BURGLAR PROOF MAIL AND EXPRESS GAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1903.

Z 8EEETSBHEBT 2.

no MODEL.

[NVENTOR WITNESS Patented July 28, 19033 Fries;

ATENT (JASPER ZIMMERMAN, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TOCHARLES ANDERSON AND JOHN M. KNADLE, or VIENNA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

BURGLAR-RFOOF MAIL AND EXPRESS CAR.

SPECIFICATION s e ma r Letters Patent No. 734,650, dated July 28, 1903.Application filedAprilB, 1 909 Serial No. 150,983. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASPER ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residingat Chi cago, in the county of Oookand State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Burglar-Proof Mail andExpress Oars; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the artto which it appertainsto make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings,,and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification. V

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in burg-lar-proof,mail andex' press cars, and comprises a car having a body portion,preferably cylindrical, in outline,

made of plate metal, having ends which are tapering and made ofcast-steel,- the'car having windows in its highest portion instead ofthe sides, and in the provision of cannon,

. which are mounted in'the oar'and provided the car to blind the withhammers, which may be sprung in order to fire the cannon when attackedby wouldbe robbers.

Another feature ofthe invention resides in the provision of acompartment of the car having a steam-boiler, which may be used for thepurpose of generating steam for giving a signal in case the. car isattacked or of allowing the steam to escape to form a cloud about visionof would-be robbers. I

The invention consists, further, in various details of construction andin combinations and arrangements of parts,which will be hereinafterfullydescribed and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure 1 isaside elevation of myimproved burglar proo'fmail andexpress'car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View through the car.Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4. is an enlarged section throughaportionofthe car. Fig. 5 is a.cross-.'se ':tional view, and Fig. 6 .s adetail view, of the folding steps.

Reference now being bad to the details of the drawings by letter, Adesign ates the body {portion ot'the car, which is made, preferably,

fot' cylindrical shape and of boiler-plate or other metal and isprovided with series of 'windows B in the highest portion of the carinstead of at the sides, and at locations diametrically opposite are thesliding doors D, and each endof the car comprises a taperingshellE,-which is hollow and made, preferably, of cast-steel, providedwith an annular shoulder at its base, over which the end of the shell ofthe car fits, as shown. Along the body portion of the car at pointsdiametrically opposite are the'port-holes F, and in each tapering end ofthe car is also provided a similar port-hole F, through which theoccupants of the car may open fire upon intruders, and

-K represents a chain ladder having bars K,

connected together by means of the chains, as shown, and N designates abar the ends of which are designed to engage the inner face of the bodyportion of the car adjacent to the door-opening. Said chain ladderisprovided for the purpose of allowing the same to be withdrawn into thecar when not in use.

The car is preferablyprovided with a floor -U, of metal, and has itsopposite longitudinal edges flanged and designed to be secured to theshell of the car, as clearly shownin Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Openingin opposite directions through port-holes Q in the sides of thecar are the cannon R, which in the drawings are shown as stationary, butwhich, if preferred, may

be pivotally'mounted in order to increase the range of fire. Each cannonis provided with a percussion cap, and a hammer J is pivotally mountedupon a pin I, carried by a bracket-arm projecting from the shell of thecar, and a spring J, wound about said pin, bears against the hammer andis adapted to throw the same forcibly against the percussion-cap todischarge the cannon. A handle T is provided upon each hammer, wherebythe hammer'may be easilydrawn backand when released be thrown 'fo'rciblyby the spring against the cap.

In one end of the car I have shown a compartment 0, having asteam-boiler O therein, and a door 0 opens in said compartment, saidboiler being provided for the purpose of generating steam for variouspurposes, either for heating the car or for having steam in reserve togive a signal by means of a whistle in case of an attack by intruders,or in case it is desired the steam from the boiler may be turned intothe space underneath floor G and allowed to escape through the port Gfor the purpose'of surrounding the car in a cloud of steam to obscurethe whereabouts of any persons who may be in the vicinity of the car.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by the provision of aburglar-proof and fireproof car for mail and express purposes embodyingthe features of myinvention agreater security for the transmission ofvaluables is afforded.

By making the car of metal and having the ends made of cast metal andtapering the liability of the telescoping of cars is eliminated whileefiective means is provided to the occupants of the car for defendingthe valuables and themselves by means of the ordnance provided.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isi 1. A burglar and fire proofexpress and mail car, comprising a cylindrical body portion of metal andhaving windows in the highest portionthereof and port-holes along thesides, cannon mounted through openings in the shellof the car, andspring-actuated hammers mounted upon the wall of the car and adapted tospring against the percussion-caps upon the cannon, as set forth.

2. A burglar-proof express and mail car,

comprising a body portion of metal having windows in the highest portionthereof, portholes at positions diametrically opposite along the bodyportion of the car, brackets mounted upon the inner face of the car,hamboiler therein, a space underneath the floor of the car, and a portleading from said space to the atmosphere whereby steam may be allowedto escape from said space to the atmosphere, as set forth.

4. A burglar-proof mail and express car, comprising a body portion of acylindrical metal and provided with series of windows along its highestportion, concaved doors slidingly held within the car, tapering shellsof metal forming the ends of the car, a floor of metal havinglongitudinally-flanged edges which are secured to the body portion ofthe car, and a chain ladder and bar connected thereto which latterengages the Wall of the car adjacent to the door-opening, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CASPER ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

A. L. HOUGH, FRANKLIN H. HOUGH.

